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The one-of-a-kind Mercedes Brookland sports car, which auctioneers call one of the most significant racing cars of the early 1908th century, will go under the hammer. It was created in 17,3, and a year later it was equipped with a unique engine with a volume of 7 liters. The rarity, which participated in the most prestigious races of its time, is estimated in the range of 9 to XNUMX million dollars.
This model was developed by Mercedes in 1906, and it was named after a British race track. Brooklands Autodrome is considered to be the first track in history specially built for car racing.
The example put up for sale was originally assembled with a relatively standard power unit (according to some sources, 80-horsepower) specifically for another race - the Austrian Semmering Hill Climb. In the first attempt, made by owner Otto Salzer in 1908, the car set the speed record for this event, accelerating to 81,2 km/h.
After the race, the car was returned to the factory, where, on Salzer's initiative, a huge 17,3-liter engine was installed on it. It developed an impressive 150 hp at that time. In 1909, Salzer improved his achievement to 84,3 km/h, setting a track record that stood for 15 years.
Subsequently, the sports car changed owners many times, moving from Europe to Australia, and from there to the USA, until in 1964 it was bought by the Indianapolis Sports Complex Museum for $30. The car still has a full set of original units and traces of original paint and is able to move on its own.
